Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
-
- Railroadfan...fan
- Posts: 131
- Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2018 1:43 am
Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
Once a busy place to find industry and heavy switching is now a thing of the past for CSX, What does Lake States see in these two properties. What about the sidings between Novi and Flint? What does the future hold for them?
- trainjunkie47
- Railroadfan...fan
- Posts: 1692
- Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:38 pm
- Location: Westland, MI
Re: Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
I'm certain that just about every bit of spare track us going to be utilized for car storage, if it hasn't already. It's not like there is any real hope of a traffic surge on that line developing from massive amounts of new business.
-
- Railroadfan...fan
- Posts: 6025
- Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:04 pm
- Location: Detroit
Re: Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
Lots of covered hoppers stored in Wixom.
Re: Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
Lots of cars stored on the Newark siding north of Holly
-
- Saginaw Sub Foamer
- Posts: 4100
- Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2011 1:54 pm
- Location: None of your business......
Re: Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
Is even the long siding in Clyde/Highland full of storage, or are they leaving that one open?
New Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc5AC6 ... E7wQUw-reQ
- C&O Dispatcher
- Railroadfan...fan
- Posts: 279
- Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 6:02 pm
Re: Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
Back when things were humming, we used ALL of the sidings several times a day to meet trains. The only siding we ever blocked with storage cars (auto racks) was Blackmar. After the siding at Clyde was extended down to Highland, there was a hand-throw electric lock crossover near Wardlow Road near the middle of the siding. (Is it still there??) We had one officer insist that we were going to store some cars on the siding south of the crossover. We did our best to show this would be a disaster, but to no avail. So, a southbound would have to stop at the north end, engineer walk to the phone to get authority to pass the stop indication (no dispatcher radios yet), and then pull down to Wardlow to wait. Then they had to get the unlock on the crossovers, which we discovered would not unlock until the northbound had completely cleared the north end, throw the switches, pull out and line everything back. After a few days of tying up the railroad and trains dying, the cars where moved to one of the branch-line sidings (PH or Elmdale Sub) where they belonged in the first place!
Re: Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
C&O Dispatcher wrote:Back when things were humming, we used ALL of the sidings several times a day to meet trains. The only siding we ever blocked with storage cars (auto racks) was Blackmar. After the siding at Clyde was extended down to Highland, there was a hand-throw electric lock crossover near Wardlow Road near the middle of the siding. (Is it still there??) We had one officer insist that we were going to store some cars on the siding south of the crossover. We did our best to show this would be a disaster, but to no avail. So, a southbound would have to stop at the north end, engineer walk to the phone to get authority to pass the stop indication (no dispatcher radios yet), and then pull down to Wardlow to wait. Then they had to get the unlock on the crossovers, which we discovered would not unlock until the northbound had completely cleared the north end, throw the switches, pull out and line everything back. After a few days of tying up the railroad and trains dying, the cars where moved to one of the branch-line sidings (PH or Elmdale Sub) where they belonged in the first place!
Per Google Maps, no crossover on the Clyde siding.
- Saturnalia
- Authority on Cat
- Posts: 15463
- Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:54 pm
- Location: Michigan City, IN
- Contact:
Re: Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
No crossover at Clyde shown on the 1995 company-sanctioned Beavers Maps eitherchapmaja wrote: Per Google Maps, no crossover on the Clyde siding.
- conrailmike
- Signal Maintainer
- Posts: 2832
- Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:59 pm
- Location: Less than 100' from CSX (LSRC) Saginaw Sub. MP 61.4 in Highland, MI
Re: Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
Nothing sitting in Clyde siding as of yet and the last time I was by Grand Blanc yard, most if not all of it had been ripped out.atrainguy60 wrote:Is even the long siding in Clyde/Highland full of storage, or are they leaving that one open?
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4179
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Re: Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
Weren't these yards primarily set up for use in the automotive industry when things were good? If they were primarily used for one function then besides storage what wouldn't keep Lake State from removing any of the track?
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
Re: Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
I was just by there (Grand Blanc) yard the other day and as far as i can see the track is still there. You can see the yard from Reid rd.
Re: Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
The lease may preclude such a move.MQT1223 wrote:Weren't these yards primarily set up for use in the automotive industry when things were good? If they were primarily used for one function then besides storage what wouldn't keep Lake State from removing any of the track?
- MQT1223
- O Scale Railfanner
- Posts: 4179
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:46 pm
- Location: Grandville, Michigan
- Contact:
Re: Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
That was my other thought. If such a thing is included in the lease would Lake State have to consult CSX to remove track?DaveO wrote:The lease may preclude such a move.MQT1223 wrote:Weren't these yards primarily set up for use in the automotive industry when things were good? If they were primarily used for one function then besides storage what wouldn't keep Lake State from removing any of the track?
1223 OUT! President and Founder of the Buck Creek Central, the Rolling River Route! (2012-2017) President and Founder of the Lamberton Valley Railroad, The Tin Plate Road! Proudly railfanning with Asperger's since 1996.
- ns8401
- Railroadfan...fan
- Posts: 3988
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 1:57 pm
- Location: Chicago, IL/Ann Arbor MI
- Contact:
Re: Future of Grand Blanc and Wixom yards
I would imagine they’d have to get CSX’s permission before doing any changes or deletions in this case to the physical plant like that. It would kind of be like leasing a sedan and removing the roof because you wanted a convertible... the dealer would be none too happy if you went and did that without permission.MQT1223 wrote:That was my other thought. If such a thing is included in the lease would Lake State have to consult CSX to remove track?DaveO wrote:The lease may preclude such a move.MQT1223 wrote:Weren't these yards primarily set up for use in the automotive industry when things were good? If they were primarily used for one function then besides storage what wouldn't keep Lake State from removing any of the track?
The lease may actually go as far as CSX paying for track repairs and Maintanance while Lake State handles all operations. One would think the savings on labor, fuel and the like would offset the track maintenance costs by a fair bit.
Celebrating Over 3800 Posts in HD
This updated Signature Brought To YOU By The One The Only MQT3001!
NS8401, Online, At Trackside And On Your Side
This updated Signature Brought To YOU By The One The Only MQT3001!
NS8401, Online, At Trackside And On Your Side